VHH tests autonomous shuttles with EasyMile in Hamburg

In the Hamburg district of Bergedorf, a field trial with autonomous shuttle vehicles is set to begin in August 2021 as part of the "Reallabor Hamburg" project. For this, the technology company Continental, the public transport operator Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein GmbH (VHH), the Institute of Transportation Systems at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the testing organization DEKRA Automobil GmbH, and the technology company EasyMile GmbH have joined forces in a project. Starting next summer, the historical villa district in Bergedorf will be made the test area for the automated on-demand shuttle service.

This district offers the ideal conditions for testing autonomous driving in real-world operation, as it is said. The suburban region with around 36,000 inhabitants needs to meet a high demand for individual and seamless mobility and be connected to the region's S-Bahn, the providers explain their choice of location. In the district, which is already very well connected to public transport, the additional service would close gaps on the first and last mile between the place of residence and the nearest public transport stop.

Latest Generation EasyMile Shuttle - but with Supervision

As part of the Reallabor Hamburg research project, three highly automated, electrically driven EZ10 Gen3 shuttles from the manufacturer EasyMile will be used. According to its own statements, the technology company has the most widely used shuttles worldwide. From August to October 2021, they are supposed to travel through Bergedorf at speeds of up to 18 km/h. The vehicles offer space for twelve passengers as well as a VHH supervisory staff member. This person monitors the automated ride and can intervene if necessary. The shuttles will be bookable in an on-demand service via an app.

The Institute of Transportation Systems at DLR provides the software for the demand-based control of the shuttles. Additionally, DLR is researching what new requirements exist from the perspective of users and dispatch center employees for on-demand operation with self-driving shuttles and flexible stopping points, and how the system can be designed to be user-friendly accordingly, as it is further stated.

The technology group Continental, in turn, contributes braking technology, sensors for environmental perception and position determination, as well as digital mobility services. Passengers can ride the shuttles free of charge during the trial operation.